


Push and Pull

by silent12reader



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Angst, College AU, F/F, F/M, Jealousy, TWICE AU, Team alien chronicles, Unresolved Sexual Tension, roommates au, samotzu - Freeform, satzu chaotic duo, slow burn i kid you not, slowburn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:35:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29264394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silent12reader/pseuds/silent12reader
Summary: Tzuyu doesn't know why she's always hated everyone her roommate, Momo had dated. She thinks Momo deserves better, that Momo is her own person, and shouldn't rely on her partner's--- Well, if you ask Sana, she'd just say 43B is full of jealousy, unresolved sexual tension and drama and it's why it's her favorite place to hang out.Or the Slowburn Motzu, jealousy-angsty fic no one asked for!
Relationships: Chou Tzuyu/Hirai Momo, Chou Tzuyu/Hirai Momo/Minatozaki Sana, Chou Tzuyu/Minatozaki Sana, Chou Tzuyu/Son Chaeyoung, Hirai Momo/Im Nayeon, Hirai Momo/Kim Heechul
Comments: 26
Kudos: 47





	1. Green Eyed Monster

It’s unlike everything she had ever felt before. Her heart clenched at the sight in front of her. Of her roommate making out with this beautiful petite girl across her. And Tzuyu tells herself it’s because she’s uncomfortable of witnessing PDA this close. But later she’ll realize it’s much more than that.

She slowly closes the door, afraid to make a sound. She turns around and leans her back into it, looking up trying to calm her heart. _Why did it hurt?_ She keeps thinking. She closes her fist and put it on top of her chest and the other pointing to her temple. Why, why, _why?_

It’s like there’s something intangible squeezing her heart, climbing its way up to her throat, constricting it as her heart beats. Her stomach churns like she’s about to vomit. Her vision becomes blurry as tears well up in her eyes.

Trying to clear her mind she starts walking aimlessly on the hallway towards the elevator.

She keeps pondering on the question, _why._ Before she knows it, she finds herself in front of their apartment building.

She hailed a cab quickly, but as she’s getting in, she hears a ding on her phone. The weight in her chest felt heavier as she reads the notification.

 **MOMO:** Are you close? Food is here.

She licks her lips before answering. Her fingers are shaking as she retypes every word, with typos all over it. This is the first time she’d be lying to Momo, and she supposes it’s easier because they’re not meeting in person.

 **TZUYU:** I’m sorry, Jeongyeon-unnie invited me to spend the night. I forgot to say?

Not really. It was Tzuyu who insisted to crash Jeongyeon’s place out of nowhere and the older girl didn’t question it. But as Tzuyu tries to erase the image burning in her head, she nods to herself thinking it’s right. It _feels_ right. It feels… like it’s the only option Tzuyu is left with.

 **MOMO:** :(

 **MOMO:** I thought you’re on your way home??

 **MOMO:** it’s movie night. You can pick.

 **MOMO:** I even ordered your favorite. Come home???

Tzuyu would almost chuckle bitterly. Is Momo even gonna mention she has someone over? That she has someone crashing _their_ movie night? That she has someone locking lips with?

 **TZUYU:** already at her door. Sorry :(

But Momo wasn’t making it any easier. She sent a bunch of crying stickers, and then a selfie of her on the couch pouting, with the food in front of her. Then a picture of a table set for Tzuyu. Tzuyu _almost_ felt bad. Tzuyu _almost_ changed her mind. Only if you zoom Momo’s selfie, you can see the other girl’s sweater, clearly cropped out of the picture.

Was Momo gonna introduce her to Tzuyu as a surprise?

But not to be obvious, and as it was against Tzuyu’s nature to ignore Momo, she replies:

 **TZUYU:** we can do brunch tomorrow.

 **TZUYU:** I’ll get you your favorite on your way home.

 **MOMO:** okay ☹

 **MOMO:** I miss you. Say hi to Jeongie for me.

No mention of the girl. _Really, Momo?_

Jeongyeon opens the door with a bright smile on her face and ushers Tzuyu to enter her small apartment.

The apartment smells good and Tzuyu realized she just came right about dinner time. Lucky her.

* * *

It didn’t take long till she’s introduced to the girl she found her roommate kissing that fateful night. _Im Nayeon._ Momo said she met Nayeon on a bar that Wednesday night she and Sana went out, that night Momo didn’t come home, that night Momo told her she’s spending the night with Sana.

The lies and the secrets… Tzuyu realizes she hates everything about it already. But alas, she would bury the bad feeling deep inside and ignore it. She welcomes Nayeon as best as she could. Or as much as her introvert self would welcome this overwhelming, _loud, overfriendly_ new stranger. That every time she comes over, Tzuyu would be locked in her room, or going out. She could only count the times she was forced to spend the time with them both and she loathed every waking moment of it.

1 month of them dating, with Nayeon crashing their movie nights from then on, and Tzuyu finally labels the ‘bad feeling’ she’s been getting ever since she has to sit through Nayeon and Momo being _lovey-dovey_ with each other. She tells herself she’s **_jealous_** of Nayeon because of who she is as a person. She’s everything Tzuyu wanted to be. She’s confident, she’s funny, she’s smart… and really, a persona of a social butterfly.

Tzuyu has a steady pace towards her goal: slowly but surely improving. But Nayeon’s already there. And she knows it, and she doesn’t have a problem flaunting it. She’s oozing with confidence in everything she does: from explaining her favorite movie to explaining what she does for a living. And Tzuyu tells herself, maybe if Tzuyu doesn’t want to punch her every time she opens her mouth, then she would even consider looking up to her. Tzuyu tells herself it’s the competitiveness churning inside her, that’s making her _hate_ the girl even though Nayeon had tried to befriend Tzuyu everyday.

* * *

“You’ve been skipping movie nights. I’m feeling neglected, Tzu.” Momo said as she follows Tzuyu to the bathroom. The girl is about ready to change her clothes and take a long bath before sleeping.

Not ready to discuss it, Tzuyu says, “Can we talk about this later? I need some alone time to relax. I had a long day.” She points to the bath tub almost full.

But Momo just sat across the tub and settled herself. Before Nayeon came into their lives, the bathroom is _their_ place. When one of them is taking a shower, the other would be on the floor and would start telling the other about her day.

Tzuyu is a freshman, and so most of her classes will be on the regular schedule: early mornings that will usually end at a decent time in the afternoon. Momo is on her third year, and has most of her classes in the afternoon. They would rarely see each other in the shared apartment, and on the rare chance that they do, they’d only exchange a few words towards each other. The first time this happened, it shook Tzuyu to her core.

Momo grew up as a city girl, fully liberated. And she came crashing in to Tzuyu’s reserved bubble without much restraint. It was a struggle at first, but Momo was incessant she and Tzuyu will get along, _whatever it takes._

_Momo is on the Cheering Squad in the university and reasoned out, “We’re both girls. I watch my teammates walk with nothing on shower stalls and locker rooms all the time, it’s nothing I haven’t seen.” In which Tzuyu said, “But I’m not on the ‘team.’ I don’t think I’m comfortable showering with someone watching.”_

_Momo laughs and said, “I wouldn’t be looking at you then! I’ll just be here to talk.”_

_Still unconvinced, trying to cover herself, “Why can’t we talk in the living room? After I’m done showering?”_

_“Because you will sleep after you shower. We’ve been living together for 2 months now, I know your routine.”_

_At that Tzuyu already thought of moving out._

_Momo gets comfortable at the floor, “So? How is uni? Made friends yet?”_

_\--_

“A bath, perfect. No running water, you can talk.” Momo pushed her legs up and holds it together with both hands. She leans her back, but has her eyes on Tzuyu.

Tzuyu is now thankful she had bubbles on her bath. She’s silent, not knowing where to start, or what Momo expects of her.

“I asked Jeongyeon why she’s stealing my roomie on movie nights and she told me you crashed her place one time, and from then on, it became _your_ thing.” It’s a statement… and Tzuyu suddenly finds herself loathing the question that’s about to come. “I don’t want to be a crazy possessive friend, and I’m glad you’re making friends, but… why can’t you have _your thing”_ Momo rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed, “some other day that isn’t _our movie night?_ ”

How is it still _our_ movie night if Nayeon, your girlfriend is there every single time, is what Tzuyu wanted to say, instead she says, “It just happened.” Sure Momo, blame it on Tzuyu, is what Tzuyu is thinking as she fiddles with her hands beneath the water.

“I want our movie nights back. Should we set another day then?”

Tzuyu supposed she isn’t surprised. Momo had never given up on her. From the moment she would force her way in the bathroom when Tzuyu is using – even when Tzuyu would lock the door, Momo would use her key to get in. Even when Momo would rant at her heart’s content, and Tzuyu would just be there listening, Momo would be satisfied as long as Tzuyu is there.

“Can Jeongyeon-unnie come?”

“No. It’s _our_ movie night. The three of us can hangout some other time.” Momo frowns at the suggestion. She lets go of her legs, stretching it in front of her, using her right side to lean on the bath tub. Tzuyu’s eyes widen when Momo puts her right hand at the tub without warning, gracing her fingertip on Tzuyu’s leg. She softens her look as she slowly glides her hand to Tzuyu’s calf. “I miss you. We rarely talk. Are we drifting apart?”

When Tzuyu didn’t answer, mostly because her mind is on haywire, with Momo’s hand on her legs, Momo sighs.

“You went out last week to that museum. And I knew because I saw it in your story. It feels weird… that you didn’t even invite me—”

“You would’ve said No. It’s not your style.”

“I would’ve come anyways, if it meant spending time with you.”

Momo’s hand doesn’t stop. She just continues sliding it up Tzuyu’s leg. And now, Tzuyu’s suddenly feeling hot. She grits her teeth, breathing in between her teeth, trying to _think._ Momo sees this and puts her left arm at the side of the tub, putting her chin over her arm. “Or… me knowing where you are would’ve been enough. Why does it feel like we’re back to the start where we’re two strangers living under one roof?”

Momo creases her eyebrows and said, “Is it because of Nayeon? Are you jealous?”

At the mention of her name, or Momo’s hand, nearing her thighs, Tzuyu pulled her legs in front of her and enveloped it with her hands. “Why would I be jealous?”

There it is again, _why._

Momo shrugged and pulled her hand back from the tub, pouting and feeling hurt Tzuyu pulled away from her again. She worked so hard to be this close to Tzuyu and she doesn’t know how Tzuyu is slipping away so easily. “Sana told me she’s jealous that I’m suddenly spending more time with Nayeon than her, and I thought that’s just Sana being clingy. And then I remember I haven’t spent time with you too…”

Momo wipes her hand with bubbles with a towel and looks at her dejectedly, “Nayeon’s my first girlfriend and I’m just trying to balance my time with her and my friends.”

Tzuyu opens the drain, the water starts whirring and Momo looks at her confused at the interruption. Tzuyu covers herself with her arms, hating how the path Momo traced is now left with a burning sensation. She avoids Momo’s look as she stares at the drain, waiting for the water to be gone, “How can you feel neglected when I’m the one who has to thirdwheel all the time?”

“It’s why I want you two to get along. You’ll like her. She’s fun and smart, and --”

Tzuyu interrupts her, not wanting to hear more of Momo gushing, “I’ll be here this Thursday, with Jeongyeon-unnie. Maybe Sana-unnie should come too.”

She crossed her arms against her legs, covering herself up when the tub is almost drain. It’s Tzuyu’s sign for Momo to leave to she can wash herself.

Momo gets the cue but frowns, “I was thinking it could be just _us—”_

“How can you say it’s _our_ movie night when your girlfriend is there?”

“Okay, then I’ll tell Nayeon—”

“I get it, you have a girlfriend now. I should start doing things without you too.”

It sounds final, so _cold,_ so _distant._ And Momo _is so confused_ why she’s the receiving end of it. She opens her mouth, no ready to let go completely.

But Tzuyu had already turned on the faucet, ending the conversation.

* * *

Things has been a hit or miss between Momo and Tzuyu. Some days, Momo would come while Tzuyu is showering, and the both of them will act like nothing has changed. Some days Tzuyu would be laughing with Nayeon, eating whatever food Nayeon had bought for Tzuyu. Some days Tzuyu would even hangout with them, inviting them to go to the mall and relax. Tzuyu had _tried_ for Momo without a word or any explanation.

She supposed, she shouldn’t be _that_ ‘crazy possessive friend’ that only wants her friend for herself. If Sana, Momo’s bestfriend had learned how to share Momo with Tzuyu and now Nayeon, then Tzuyu should too.

If Sana is Momo’s soul sister, then Tzuyu is Momo’s little sister that she dotes on endlessly.

Until _Dahyun._

Tzuyu would think it’s ironic how the two got close. She introduced them together one time. She had Dahyun in one of her classes and they had an assignment together. Dahyun spent the night at Tzuyu’s apartment, when Momo was there waiting for her.

They just ended up _clicking_ right away. Dahyun became what Momo envisioned and hoped Tzuyu is. She likes being babied, she liked being smothered with affection and attention. She would even allow Momo to play with her cheeks – something Momo would get a dark look if she tried doing to Tzuyu.

Tzuyu even thinks Momo had become closer to Dahyun than Tzuyu even did.

But just like Tzuyu had promised, she would try.

Did she feel the familiar _pinch_ when Momo would _cuddle_ with Dahyun on _their_ movie night? Yes but only because she’s worried that Nayeon would be jealous that her girlfriend is being _intimate_ with someone?

Has their apartment turned into the ‘cool kids’ sorority house as Jeongyeon had joked? Yes, but only because it was Tzuyu’s idea in the first place to avoid being a third wheel.

Is she feeling somehow _betrayed_ when she would come home and she’d find Dahyun there already hanging out with Momo? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Is she feeling _left out_ when she saw Momo gushing on the teddy bear Dahyun got her for her birthday when Momo practically ignored Tzuyu’s gift? Yes. Ultimately yes.

She sighs as Nanan, Jeongyeon’s brown poodle continue to lick Tzuyu’s face interrupting her train of thoughts. She turns her head sidewards when Nanan almost lick her lips. Before she knows it, Jeongyeon had grabbed Nanan and holds the cute dog near her face, “Are you stealing a kiss from Tzuyu again?” Jeongyeon laughs and puts the dog on her side, then hands Tzuyu a wet tissue. “She loves you too much.”

Tzuyu just smiles in return and wipes her face. Jeongyeon’s place had started becoming more of a _home_ to her than her own apartment.

“The rabeokki is ready. Should we go?” As part of the ‘tradition’, Jeongyeon would always bring food on movie nights, and Tzuyu would always pick her up to help her with her things.

Tzuyu dreads the night already, but nods anyway: already imagining Momo doting on Dahyun while they’re eating, and then getting cooped up in her room with Nayeon right after. “Can’t I just move in with you? I’ll take care of Nanan, walk her on the weekends, I’d even do the dishes! I’m not a messy roommate!” She pleads, her eyes getting big, pouting, mumbling as she goes. She looks around, thinking what else she can contribute to add to her pitch. She takes Nanan from Jeongyeon and plays with her one more time, trying to milk all the comfort and happiness the dog is unknowingly giving her.

“You can…”

Tzuyu perks up, the same time Nanan did. And Jeongyeon would think the Puppy Tzu nickname really suits her: with both of their expressions almost identical.

“Talk to Momo about it.”

As quickly the hope came, it dissipates.

Jeongyeon shook her head and chuckles amused, “Good luck with that! She almost beat me when she thought I was stealing you away from her. How do you think she’ll react when you tell her you’re moving in with me?”

“Maybe she wouldn’t care? Maybe she’ll be happy… ask Nayeon-unnie to move in with her or something.”

At that Jeongyeon bursts out laughing, “They’re dating for what? 4 months? They’re not moving in together anytime soon.”

Tzuyu grabs her bag and Jeongyeon’s and heads towards the door. She pats Nanan’s head one more time and then kisses the top of her head. Jeongyeon shakes her head and nudges Tzuyu out the door before Nanan can whine and Tzuyu would stay there staring at her for 30 minutes.

“I told you to pat her head and then go!”

“I was saying goodbye?”

“She’ll miss you more and give you the puppy eyes and then whine, and then it’s a struggle to get you out the door after that.”

Jeongyeon presses the down button and chuckles as she side eyes Tzuyu’s crest-fallen face. “Momo loves you. She’s not gonna take it _lightly_ if you tell her you want to move out. Trust me, the _dramatic_ exchange you had at the bathroom which is still weird for me, might I add, is nothing compared to the _confrontation_ you’re gonna have.”

Tzuyu stays silent even as she gets into the elevator. Jeongyeon sighs and nudges her. Tzuyu looks at her in question, Jeongyeon just smiles warmly at her. “You’re not being replaced, okay? Sure, she gets a girlfriend. Sure, she meets another dongsaeng. But that doesn’t mean she loves you any less.”

Tzuyu looks at her, almost like she’s about to cry. So Jeongyeon laughs, struggles to put her casserole in one hand then pulls Tzuyu towards her with her now free hand to hug her. Both of them hates affection as much as Sana loves it. But Jeongyeon would always make an exception for Tzuyu. To her surprise, Tzuyu snuggles into her, pressing her head against the crook of her neck.

When she first asked Tzuyu about it: of her and Momo fighting, she could still remember how Tzuyu struggled to explain her. Once she collected her thoughts, she settled with: she doesn’t like Nayeon because she’s overbearing. And then refused to explain further. Being the mediator, Jeongyeon urged her to try being civil towards the new couple. Because the more she spends time with her, although always welcome, the more Momo comes barging at her door the next day complaining about missing Tzuyu. Jeongyeon brushed it off as Tzuyu being the _little sister_ she is to Momo. Jeongyeon would begrudgingly admit she also felt the same when her older sister would invite her friends over at their house and rarely hang out with Jeongyeon.

She pulls her closer wordlessly when she hears Tzuyu sniff a little. That is what she’s more worried about than Momo’s empty threats. The two of them will _not_ part on a good note. There would be tears and unresolved tension and it wouldn’t be good to anyone involved.

* * *

It’s a Sunday when she finds Sana at their kitchen, cooking them breakfast. Or attempting, more like it. She smiles at her and greeted her, with no indifference as she hums. Tzuyu is aware Sana has a key to their apartment, care of Momo, but she’s not entirely sure how Sana is there so early in the morning on a Sunday. She’s sure the two share the same body clock. And the one time she invited the two to go hiking with her, with them waking up at the crack of dawn, their sour mood had become unbearable for Tzuyu, she never talked to them ‘till it’s at least past 10am.

“So… what’s up? Why are you…” _destroying our kitchen_ “cooking?” Tzuyu says as she stands next to Sana. She looks at the pot and tried her best no to grimace. She’s not even sure what Sana is trying to cook. The smell makes Tzuyu want to vomit early in the morning. She’s sure Sana had poured one full cup of chili powder in there.

Sana just giggles and replies, “Nothing. I just need this as therapy. I sent a text to Momo asking if I can use your kitchen but I guess, she’s asleep. I would’ve texted you…”

Sana lets it hang and Tzuyu looks at her apologetic. Tzuyu rarely replies to Sana, because of who she is as a person.

“A therapy? What’s wrong?”

Sana just shakes her head slightly, “It’s why _it’s_ my therapy. So I don’t have to talk about it.”

Tzuyu looks at her intrigued. She’s not that close to Sana. Sana is more of Momo’s friend than Tzuyu’s. But they get along really well whenever they’re together. One time they were left alone at the apartment and Tzuyu found that Sana wasn’t a bad company. Still, with what they have between them, Tzuyu would think Sana’s the type to talk her feelings than hide it. It must have been serious for her to hide it. So Tzuyu nods understandingly, being not one to talk either.

Sana turns hums as she stirs the pot and then looks at Tzuyu, “I read online this is therapeutic. You just put things in the pot and then stir it.” She looks confused as well when she says it, almost unbelieving. “Maybe I should’ve read the whole article.”

You think? Tzuyu thought. She moves her hand sneakily in front of Sana and then turns off the stove. “I think it requires you to follow some recipe. This looks like you’re about to cause some mass destruction.”

“Aren’t you overacting?” Sana says, pouting.

“Unnie, there’s a reason you don’t have a kitchen.”

Sana looks at the pot one more time then to Tzuyu’s waiting look. She sighs and then hits Tzuyu’s arm lightly. “What should I do then?”

* * *

They were laughing when they get back at the apartment. It was Nayeon who opened the door, looking at them smiling.

“Is that Tzuyu, babe?” they heard Momo shout from the inside of the apartment. For the first time, Tzuyu doesn’t feel like hurling when she hears the term of endearment. She greets Nayeon and said, “Have you eaten? We bought cake!”

Nayeon closes the door behind them and follows them. “Where were you? You two looked like you had fun.”

“Oh we have. To therapy!”

Momo and Nayeon look at them confused, waiting for Sana to continue.

But Sana didn’t. She shared a look with Tzuyu and then the both of them started laughing. Momo frowns, “Therapy? Like in the hospital? And… why would you need therapy? Is everything alright?”

Sana puts her hand on Tzuyu’s waist pulling her towards her. Momo raised her eyebrow when Tzuyu didn’t go rigid. More so when Tzuyu smiled and puts her arm over Sana’s shoulder. “We broke dishes!”

“… _what?_ ”

* * *

“ _My God,_ that totally belongs to ‘if Tzuyu is your girlfriend’ folder.”

Tzuyu looks up, almost like puppy hearing her name. She repositions her hands, putting Nanan on her lap. The dog stayed there in a span of 5 seconds, then quickly ran towards Sana who has her squeaky ball. Tzuyu sees Sana behind Momo who’s looking tenderly at her phone. Sana sees Nanan and then throws her ball on the opposite direction, that the brown poodle quickly run to.

Tzuyu stood up and walked towards them. Looking over, she saw them swiping through tons of pictures of her and Nanan playing on the couch that she didn’t know Momo took. Tzuyu would admit, most of them looked good. Or at least Sana and Momo approve. Momo has been favoriting photos continuously.

“Don’t you think it’s time for you to date? You’re very _pleasing_ in the eyes. Has anyone hit on you?”

“Pleasing in the eyes? Really? That’s how you’d describe our Tzu?”

Sana rolls her eyes in return, mimicking Momo and continues, “I’d pull some Taylor Swift on Tzuyu but I know I’d get the same reaction.”

They both turn to a stoic Tzuyu and then laugh. “See?”

When Nanan brings back the toy to the three of them, they squeal. She drops the toy at their foot and waits till one of them plays with her.

It was Tzuyu who squeezed the toy and then Nanan jumps from her spot the lies down, putting her head over it.

“If I’m available, you’d be my girlfriend now for sure. _My God.”_ Sana groans as she watches Tzuyu play with Nanan.

“What?” Tzuyu turns to them, and realized Momo had went back to taking a picture of her again.

“Send it to me.” She nudges Momo, then heads towards the couch.

“You and a puppy is a deadly combination. You get me? _Deadly._ Now I’m mushy inside!” Sana shows her phone that displays the photo Momo had took.

“Nanan looks cuter with you than with Jeongyeon. Maybe we should adopt Nanan.” Momo pipes in. Squealing at the pictures.

“Or… I could move in with Jeongyeon-unnie.” Tzuyu jokes. It’s the first time she’s voicing out the idea. And she’s lowkey curious about Momo’s reaction.

Momo only snorts though, and didn’t even look up. Tzuyu tilts her head, not sure what to make of it. She calls over Nanan to play with her, masking her dissatisfaction. Sana raises her eyebrow, amused by the exchange, not missing how Momo’s lip quirked downward, and Tzuyu tensing. She knows the two should never be alone, no matter how much Momo begged. Otherwise, this apartment would explode with the tension the two refuses to diffuse.

Still, she would add fuel to the fire. Siding with either of them, depending on her mood. “Look at this, Tzuyu~~ How are you still single?”

“She’s still young.” Momo snickers.

“She’s 20! I already had 2 at the time!”

“Sleeping with doesn’t count as dating.”

“Hey!”

“Well, Nayeon’s my first girlfriend. Maybe Tzuyu should wait.”

“Why wait when you can go on a date this weekend?”

_“What?!”_

Sana shows her phone. It shows her messaging thread with tons of unread direct messages. She’s smiling with mirth as she turns to Tzuyu. “I posted your picture and put a caption of: ‘Open for dating. DM if interested.”

Tzuyu just laughs as Momo hits Sana with a pillow from across the living room. Sana screams and throws a pillow back, “Just because you have a girlfriend doesn’t mean you’re a relationship expert now! You met at a _bar_ when you’re drunkenly grinding on each other.” Sana makes a face, teasing Momo’s reddening face. “This once’s better. I’ll veto them first before they get a date!”

“Tzuyu, are you okay with this?!”

Tzuyu shrugs then sits besides Sana. She looks over her phone, _actually_ curious on the messages she’s getting.

Momo look at them aghast, unbelieving Tzuyu would even sit that close with Sana. “Did I miss something? When did you two get all chummy?”

Sana giggles then pecks Tzuyu’s cheek quickly. One that Tzuyu immediately whines at and wiped at the back of her hand, that earns a laugh from Sana. “We’re therapy buddies!”

Tzuyu glares at her and warns her not to kiss her again. But playfully rolls her eyes at the mention of their inside joke. Momo looks at them confused, the familiar uncomfortable feeling settling in her stomach at the sight of the two getting cozy with each other but she refuses to acknowledge it.

* * *

The ‘moving out’ conversation was postponed indefinitely when Tzuyu comes back at the apartment to a drinking Momo and Sana. It’s not even dark outside, she’s sure Momo is supposed to be at Cheer practice, but here she is drinking with Sana.

Momo cheers when the door opens, already running towards her with a red cup at one hand, the other hand already looped around Tzuyu’s neck. Tzuyu can already smell the sting of alcohol. Tzuyu looks at Sana for a clue, but the girl just shrugged her shoulders.

Tzuyu helps Momo back to the couch, as she sets her things on the side of the couch. Momo’s eyes are red and puffed. Her face softens, holding both of Momo’s arms, leaning into her. “What happened?”

_“We broke up.”_

“Oh…”


	2. Fire and Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 8 months later and Momo introduces her new partner, Heechul.

Momo has been dating the guy for about two months before Tzuyu had met him. Momo doesn’t gush about him to Tzuyu— no, theyre not that kind of friends. Momo has Sana for that (Or should have Sana for that. Apparently, Sana and Momo had been fighting.) All Tzuyu knows is 9:00pm will come and Momo will have that smile on her face when her phone starts ringing, and she’ll lock herself up in her room till the morning comes.

Momo didn’t try to bulldoze this one into her circle of friends the way she did with Nayeon. If Nayeon didn’t win Tzuyu’s vote, then this one didn’t win Sana’s.

_“Tzuyu, tell Momo about the Ugly Sai Daochan!”_

_“The what?!” Momo looks at them. Trust Sana to tell nonsense and loop Tzuyu in it. This is what happens when they hang out too much._

_Tzuyu sighs, not wanting to get involved. But it’s the first time she saw the two fighting. It’s been an hour. Momo had introduced Heechul to them, they went to the mall, had dinner, and then the three of them are supposed to have a movie night. Tzuyu doesn’t even have time to process Momo saying she now has a boyfriend, when Sana started blasting her machine gun._

_They had been fighting even before Tzuyu can play the movie and they hadn’t stopped. Sana nudges her with her foot, and Tzuyu glares at her in response. Sana doesn’t turn to her, just continues to glare at Momo. She rolls her eyes before saying, “It’s when you think one person is attractive because there’s no other option.”_

_Momo gasps, “If you just give him a chance—"_

_“Look, I get it. He’s nice. In a sea of trashy men in the corporate world, he might look like a golden boy. But did you miss the flashing red signs about the fact that he’s way older than you?”_

_She meets him in her internship. They don’t work in the same company, but they do in the same building. Momo said it was like destiny. They would meet each other at the elevator lobby and would exchange few glances here and there. And the one time Momo was rushing in, with coffee orders in her hands for her seniors, he had helped him carry it for her. And then… they started spending lunches together… and then Heechul would drive them home. And the next thing Sana knows, Momo is introducing him to her as her boyfriend. Go figure._

_“Should that outweigh how he is as a person then? He treats me well! We talk about different things—” Sana makes a face everytime Momo talks that Momo grabs a pillow to smack Sana – all this happening while Tzuyu is seated on the couch, fiddling with her fingers as she stare at the TV. Is this what having fighting parents feel like?_

_“I don’t know what Nayeon did to scar you, but why swear off on girls just because the last one didn’t work out?!”_

_“Are you seriously making this about a gender?! Bisexuality is valid—”_

_Tzuyu rolls her eyes and decides to stand up. The ‘moving out’ proposition came back blaring like a neon light in her blank mind once again. When Sana told her, she didn’t like Momo’s boyfriend, Tzuyu was delighted and unofficially declared Sana as her new favorite person (next to Jeongyeon). But the title has been revoked when the of them go off like it’s a heated battle of ping pong. It was so weird for her, that she’s actually scared. For as long as she can remember, the two of them had always gotten along._

_“He’s settled in life, he knows what he wants!”_

_“You’ve been dating for what? Are you actually thinking of marrying him?! Who are you?”_

They are convinced Momo’s just that type of friend who dates someone her friends don’t approve of. And if Nayeon almost caused a wreck between Momo and Tzuyu, then Momo’s just scared to rock her boat with Sana when she barely saved the other one when it was going through the storm. So if she had to hide this one from her friends to save both relationships, then she would.

Unlike Tzuyu, Sana didn’t adjust, didn’t keep a distance—Sana didn’t even _try_ to be civil. She spends time with Momo and Heechul and didn’t shy away from showing her dislike towards the guy _._ She would be snarky towards him, she’d be sarcastic, and jokes that he’s too pretty to be straight (if Tzuyu can remember, the first time she met him, Sana was first to introduce him as Momo’s beard.) In Tzuyu’s opinion, Sana had been outright _offensive._ That, or Sana and Heechul are secretly long-time friends that they could joke like that (very unlikely).

If Heechul isn’t serious with Momo and doesn’t have the patience, he would’ve called it quits on Day 1.

And maybe that’s why Tzuyu promises she would try _harder._ Momo would always go an extra mile for her, and she acted immaturely just because they had someone new in their life. (This is what Tzuyu had convinced herself, and nothing will change her mind.)

But never had Tzuyu thought _trying harder_ meant choosing a lingerie for Momo to wear on their date. It’s like everytime Tzuyu buries the _feeling_ , it forces its ugly head out pushing to be recognized. Tzuyu knows Momo is going out with him one evening. She has a fancy dress ready, her hair done well, and Momo dragged Tzuyu in her room with just a robe on and positioned her on the edge of the bed.

Tzuyu blinks her eyes fast, then widens them when Momo unties the knot of her robe slowly, revealing her black lingerie.

_What?_

“So? You like?”

Tzuyu suddenly feels her throat tightening at the sight in front of her. And if Jeongyeon was here, she’d tease her and say she’s having a gay mental breakdown. All the toning Momo got from cheer practice is _definitely_ paying off. How can Nayeon have let this one go?

Tzuyu tried her best to meet Momo’s waiting look. She breathes slowly before licking her lips and saying, “Not something I would wear, but it looks… good on you.”

Momo grimaced at Tzuyu’s reaction, checking herself in the mirror. She mumbles, “Really? You don’t like this one?”

Before Tzuyu can answer, Momo had already started undressing. Tzuyu busies herself looking around Momo’s room, touching the dress that’s laid out on the bed. She regrets not bringing her phone, but in her defense, Momo didn’t even give her a chance to comprehend what was happening when she intertwines their fingers and pulls her towards her room. It probably didn’t help that Momo smells so good. She told her she’s trying a new shampoo, and Tzuyu would say she likes it very much.

“Tonight’s the night.” Momo kept telling her. And although the last thing Tzuyu wanted to know is _that,_ she stayed sitting _politely_ at the edge of Momo’s bed, waiting if Momo needs her help with something, Momo faces the mirror, checking angles of herself. “It’s just so weird… Nayeon and I used to do it all the time… but now, we’ve never even gotten to second base!”

Momo turns to her and if Tzuyu isn’t supposed to be there to look at every inch of Momo, she would’ve looked away. “How about this? Do you like it?”

The one Momo is trying is more revealing than the first one she tried. Tzuyu supposes, the red is more _enticing_ than the black one. And she doesn’t know why she can feel her face heat up at the sight of Momo when she had seen her roommate naked in their shared bathroom. Shouldn’t that be more sexual? Almost watching someone take a bath? Although Tzuyu would argue she had _never_ watched Momo wash herself.

Momo groans, reading Tzuyu’s facial expression, “You look like you’re in pain. So I’m guessing it’s a No?”

Tzuyu quickly shook her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. Momo had already turned round and ready to take it off. This one had more strings and Tzuyu thinks she’d struggle more into taking it off. Momo sighs, panic clearly written in her face as she starts talking fast, the same way she entangles the string on her back. Tzuyu immediately closing her eyes before the lingerie drops on the floor, “Doesn’t he find me attractive? I mean, I think it’s sweet that he’s a gentleman but… I’m _hot_ right? You’d get on this, right?”

Tzuyu nods, but her faced is turned sidewards, her eyes closed shut. Momo chuckles at this and said, “You don’t look very convincing. In fact, you look like you find me repulsive. Should I be offended, Tzuyu?”

Tzuyu shakes her fervently, but she still has her eyes closed tight, her fists now gripping Momo’s sheets. Momo finds this cute.

“How are you still awkward with me? You watch me shower!”

“I don’t.”

“You know what I mean.” Tzuyu can imagine Momo waving her hand. “You’ve seen me naked! Come on, open your eyes!”

“Are you dressed?”

“Why don’t you open your eyes and find out?”

“That sounds like a No.”

Then Tzuyu feels a presence in front of her. She grips on the sheets tighter, more determined to keep her eyes closed. She feels a hand on her chin, turning her face but she refused.

“Open your eyes.”

“No.”

“Please?”

Tzuyu didn’t answer, Tzuyu didn’t even move.

Then she feels Momo cup her face, her thumbs brushing over cheeks. “Don’t you find me attractive, Tzuyu?”

She can feel Momo’s breath on her face, so she must have been really close to Tzuyu. Still, she’s not sure why Momo would lower her voice. Then she feels Momo move her hands from her face to her neck then to her shoulders, looping it behind her neck, hugging her.

Tzuyu’s heart started beating wildly against her chest, thinking that Momo is _naked_ against her, it makes her more determined not to move her hands, afraid she’d touch her inappropriately accidentally. Tzuyu is sure Momo would feel her heart beat by the way she pushes herself closer to her. Momo now settles her head on the crook of Tzuyu’s head.

“I’m sorry. I usually have Sana for this, but she just…” Momo took a deep breath, and even without looking, Tzuyu would know what Momo would look like. She’d crease her eyebrows, she’d frown, one side of her mouth dipping lower than the other, and she’d scrunch her nose, overthinking.

If Sana is here, she would hype her up: telling her she’s hot and pretty, and all the adjectives Sana knows will be thrown around one after the other. If Sana is here, she’d build Momo’s confidence, even dance with her to pump her up. If Sana is here, Momo wouldn’t even doubt herself. If Sana is here, it’d be the opposite of what Tzuyu is doing.

Tzuyu finds the courage to move her hands and place it on Momo’s waist. She finds relief, when instead Momo’s skin, she comes across a soft fabric that’s probably Tzuyu’s oversized shirt. Then she opens her eyes to turn to Momo. “You look really beautiful, unnie. He would be so stupid not to appreciate it.”

“You… think?” Momo said as she looks up to Tzuyu, meeting her gaze.

Tzuyu would actually feel bad, she fails to be Momo’s emotional support. She doesn’t have to like the guy, but she needs to respect their relationship, she repeats in her head. She nods, smiling encouragingly at her. “The second one is more revealing, but I like the first one better. It’s simple… but makes you curious on how you are without it. Like the message is clear but there’s still a mystery to it.”

“You’re a cute one, Tzuyu.” Momo laughs, tapping Tzuyu’s cheek.

* * *

“Zip me up?”

Tzuyu stands up and walks towards Momo wordlessly. She stops behind Momo and helped her with her dress. She meets her eyes on the mirror and smiles her way.

Momo relaxes her shoulders then puts both of her hands on the side. “You would’ve liked him, Tzuyu. I… I don’t know why Sana doesn’t…”

Tzuyu rolls her eyes and thinks she could list down at least 5 things why Sana doesn’t.

“If she gives him a chance…” She looks down and puts her hands in front of her, fiddling with her fingers. “She would know he cares for me and treats me well.”

Tzuyu realizes, it must have been hard for Momo. To not share this part of her life with someone she cares deeply. Is this how she is when Tzuyu would find an excuse to not spend time with her and Nayeon?

She swallows the bitter taste in her throat, drowning it in the pit of her stomach. She pulls both of the ends of Momo’s dress, and slowly danced her fingers on Momo’s exposed skin on top of her spine down to the zipper on her lower back. She sees Momo arched her back at the contact and she apologized quickly thinking it’s because of her cold hands.

“You should invite him on Thursday.” The words were out even before Tzuyu could think it over.

Tzuyu finished zipping up Momo’s dress. When she meets her eyes on the mirror, she’s confused by Momo’s reaction.

“ _But…_ we just started having _our_ movie nights back.”

“But I do miss them coming over. I miss Jeongyeon-unnie cooking.” She paused, chuckling at Momo’s frown. “Maybe if Dahyun-unnie is there, you and Sana-unnie would stop biting each other’s head.”

Momo still look displeased. “We both know things changed when Nayeon joined last time. And… I guess I’m scared for things to change again. I finally got you back… And Sana still hates him. I don’t think she’d even care if there are people around, she’d still go out of her way to humiliate him.”

“You don’t have to worry about her—”

“Oh, I’m not worried about her. We’ve been friends since we were kids. I know she’ll get over it. I’m worried about you.”

“Me?”

“I don’t want things to change between us again.”

Tzuyu doesn’t even know what she’s thinking. But she did wrap her hands in front of Momo, locking her on a hug, putting her head over her shoulder. It’s the first time she ever gave Momo a backhug. It’s the first time she gave _anyone_ a backhug. Momo is in pure _shock._

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to deal with it last time. I promise I’ll try harder now.”

How to deal with what is what Momo wanted to ask. But having Tzuyu wrapped around her like that has frozen all her functions.

She gets herself together and started relaxing in Tzuyu’s embrace. “We still have the bathroom right? It’s still our thing?”

* * *

“She’s just getting ready.” Tzuyu is seated on the couch, her eyes trained on the TV. Heechul is dressed nicely, fixing his tux as he takes a seat next to her.

He slides in a small box on the coffee table in front of them and taps it with two fingers. “This one’s near the office. Momo said you like the cupcakes in there. She’d always pass by it after work.”

Tzuyu nods, still not removing her eyes on the TV. On her peripheral view, she can see Heechul wipe his hands on his pants, drumming her fingers against it.

All she can think of is how she came home that day with a red-stricken eyes Momo and her doubting herself months after, and she never wanted to see that again.

She heaves a sigh before saying, “Look, I’m not gonna tell you how to treat her right because you’re much older so you should know better.” She nods before turning towards him. “She…” Another sigh. “likes you. For whatever reason, she does. And I trust her enough to make decisions for herself.”

“She means so much to me. I won’t hurt her.”

She shakes her head, “Don’t say promises you can’t keep—”

“But I won’t. I love her.”

A _sting._ But Tzuyu ignores it.

“Everyone eventually hurts people closest to them. Intentionally or not.” She licks her lips before continuing, narrowing her eyes at him, “You love her now ‘cause she makes you happy... But it’s not always gonna be like that. Some days she’ll be stubborn; more times she’ll do things that will make you wonder why you’re even trying for her. So when things get rough, remind yourself why you even tried in the first place.”

“Huh… you sound pretty mature for your age.”

Tzuyu shrugs, “I think I saw that in some movie. I just rephrased it.”

At that, Heechul laughs. Tzuyu soon joins in.

Behind them, Momo feels a weight off of her shoulders.

* * *

 _“Nanan,_ how can I be like you?” _Bark!_

“I hugged neighbor-oppa’s dog, and you can smell him on me,” _huff! “_ and even though you’re sad, you still love me, right?” _Whine~~_

“How can you be so selfless, Nanan?” _A boop_

“How can you love me so unconditionally?” Nanan tilts her head on the right, continues to stare at Tzuyu, and then lets out her tongue.

Tzuyu squeals and hugs her tight, patting her head as she rubs her cheek against its head. “Ahh~ Nanan really is the best!”

Jeongyeon side eyes her, then continues to proofread her report before hitting send. Once satisfied, she submitted her report and then swivels her chair, leaning back to it, resting her elbows on to her armrest and then intertwining her fingers. “Tzuyu, are you okay?”

Tzuyu stops squishing the dog, who looks like she didn’t mind the affection at all, and looks at Jeongyeon, “Huh?”

Jeongyeon sighs, then slowly drags herself and the chair towards the duo playing on the floor. “So… what’s on your mind?”

Tzuyu pouts, and doesn’t let go of the brown poodle in her arms. “I just think dogs are incredible, you know?”

“I know. You wouldn’t shut up about it for an hour now. I’m convinced you were gonna ask Nanan to be your girlfriend.”

“Ahh, that’s too much. But if she’s a person, I might reconsider.”

Jeongyeon snorts, and Tzuyu looks at her confused. “I’m pretty sure Momo and Sana are dogs in their previous lives, and you looked like you’re going to hurl everytime they _try to be a dog_ on you.”

Instead of _playing dumb,_ Jeongyeon is surprised she got an answer from Tzuyu right away, “Because that’s what I feel—”

“Okay, that’s mean, even for you.”

Tzuyu shakes her head, stands up while carrying Nanan as she repositions her so she’s riding her arm, then heads towards Jeongyeon, “Hugging, I got used to now. But when they try to kiss me, I feel weird in my stomach, and I get nervous.”

Jeongyeon raised her eyebrows, surprised to Tzuyu’s answer, “Oh…”

“I told them they shouldn’t kiss me when they don’t mean it—” Tzuyu shrugs and lets go of Nanan. She dusts off the fur stuck on her shirt, “I just want it to be special. I want people to kiss me because it means something, not because they’re touchy.” She meets Jeongyeon’s eyes and then mumbles, “Especially when I’m not the only one receiving it.”

_“Oh…”_

* * *

If ending the SaMo crossfire means going out partying until the sunset, then Tzuyu would begrudgingly sacrifice her weekend for 43B world peace. And in this great sacrifice, she decided to loop Dahyun in. If they needed to let out their anger, then Tzuyu would use Dahyun as a human shield. Misery does love company.

However, one thing Tzuyu forgot to consider is… the only thing worse than third-wheeling… is fourth-wheeling Momo, Sana, and Dahyun.

Tzuyu is never a drinker, but as she watched the three, she thought it would be interesting to take a shot whenever Momo or Sana would try to kiss Dahyun. Not even 5 minutes later, she concluded it’s a horrible idea. The worst idea she had ever thought! If asked what life desicions have she regretted— she’s not gonna answer some ‘every choices made me who I am today’—no! This would definitely by the top spot, no doubt!

She winced at burning in her throat when Momo leans in again, her lips almost millimeters from Dahyun’s ear as she whispers something to her. Dahyun nods, and then not even 5 seconds after, Momo looks at her, and then kisses her neck. The longer her lips linger there, the tighter Tzuyu grasp on her cup, she didn’t even notice she crushed it. Dahyun playfully leans away tapping Momo’s shoulder, and the older girl just laughs. Tzuyu had never seen Dahyun so red. Must have been the alcohol, or being flushed. Either way, Tzuyu rolls her eyes as she gets Sana’s cup and pours herself another drink. There’s ringing in her head already but she’s never a quitter! Nope. If she has to finish this bottle all on her own, then she would.

Sana comes back from the dance floor and drags them with her. Tzuyu would say no, because she doesn’t think that after watching Momo and Dahyun ‘tease’ each other right on front of her eyes – which made her drunk beyond her limits, should be moving around too much. But alas, Sana already looped her arms around hers.

The four of them dance to the beat of the music, with Sana grinding her ass on Momo’s crotch to ‘replace’ her first meeting with Nayeon, and Tzuyu and Dahyun had no choice but to cheer for them. To hell with it, Tzuyu cannot think straight.

They were laughing until Sana grabs Dahyun and kisses her cheek, all while Momo is sliding her hands up and down Sana’s sides. Sana has one hand on Dahyun’s nape pulling her closer, the other above Momo’s hand, following her movements. Damn these three for looking like a three-way!

Never had Tzuyu felt like an outside in her own circle of friends than she’s feeling at the moment. At the sight, Tzuyu really felt like vomiting.

She excused herself, not caring if they heard it or not. The thing about vomiting is when you start entertaining the idea, it also starts climbing up your throat.

Surprisingly, she didn’t embarrass herself and vomit on the way to the stall. She had let out some of the liquid she had taken and then noticed she was crying. Damn it, she cursed. When Jeongyeon said she’s going home for the weekends, she should have volunteered to dog-sit Nanan.

She wiper her mouth and slowly drags herself towards the lavatory. She gargles another handful of water before splashing fresh ones on her face. She needs to get it together, or else the four of them are crawling on their way home – or rather, she goes home alone, leaving without a word.

She looks back at the noise outside the small tight space and realized the heavy feeling is back. She hates it – absolutely loathes it – when Momo (and Sana) would try to kiss her. How come she hates it more when she has to watch them do it to Dahyun? Is Tzuyu being selfish? She doesn’t even want others to have what she doesn’t want? **Why** is she like this? She’d never felt this bitter when Jeongyeon would entertain her juniors right in front of her. (Well to be fair, Jeongyeon was never touchy with her juniors. Her only exception is actually just Tzuyu.)

“Hey, you okay?”

She sniffs, and wipes her face with a napkin, drying it as she looks up the mirror. She sees a smaller girl with blonde hair and leather jacket looking at her. She turns to her and shakes her head, “I’m trying not to vomit.”

Drunk Tzuyu is honest Tzuyu.

The girl laughs and pats her back. Maybe funny Tzuyu too? (But Momo would argue she’s always funny.)

“Water helps. You should drink some.”

“I will…” She nods. “If I manage to move without having the urge to vomit.” She makes a face and then clicks her tongue, “Maybe we shouldn’t talk about it. Thinking about it makes me—”

“Yeah, I get it.” The girl laughs again. The girl leans her body to the sink and then looks at Tzuyu. “Do you mind?”

“Do I mind what?”

The girl moves her hand to Tzuyu’s head, and proceeds to fix her hair. “Have you tried bangs? I think it’ll suit you. You’re so pretty.” She moves some of Tzuyu’s hair, arranging it and tilting her head, maybe imagining Tzuyu with bangs.

Tzuyu nods aimlessly, just staring at this new stranger. There’s something soothing about the way the girl is talking to her. It’s firm, yet not too much. Even with the booming beats on the dance floor, Tzuyu finds herself entranced by the girl’s voice. It’s not fast as Sana’s, not dragged out like Momo’s, not odd like Dahyun’s… It’s just different. It’s new… it’s distracts her from what she’s about to come back to.

Her thumb accidentally brushed against Tzuyu’s cheek. She hums and then says, “How do you have clear skin? God really has favorites, huh?”

Tzuyu didn’t even notice they got closer when suddenly the girl is being yanked away from Tzuyu, that made her nail scratched a bit on Tzuyu’s cheek. Tzuyu’s eyes widen, as she tried to help the girl only to be stopped by her roommate. “Stay away from her!” Momo hissed, pushing the blonde girl with her right hand, her other hand keeping Tzuyu from walking forward.

“Sweet. A crazy possessive girlfriend.” The girl comments as she fixes her jacket that almost fell from her shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Tzuyu managed to ask. The girl smiles her way, which earned a nudge from Momo to Tzuyu. Momo turns to her, blocking Tzuyu’s view of the friendly stranger she had met, “I should be asking you that! I told you not to wander off!”

“I’m at the comfort room… it’s not like I’m loitering around.”

“This is where things happen!”

“Ew… in the comfort room? Really?” Tzuyu looks around with disgust in her face. Another laugh from the girl, another disgruntled noise from Momo.

Momo huffs and rolled her eyes, “I’m going to pee. You’re staying there!” She said to Tzuyu. And then she turns to the blonde girl, “And you! Don’t talk to Tzuyu!”

“Unique name. I’m Jihyo.”

“No one asked!”

“Aren’t you supposed to be peeing?”

“Hmpf! Don’t talk to each other!”

With one final glare, Momo enters the stall, mumbling. “Why do I have a small bladder?”

Tzuyu puts her hair behind her ear, looking down and takes a step closer Jihyo. “I’m sorry. She’s usually not like that.”

From the stall, Momo shouts, “Hey! I said don’t talk to each other!”

The girl giggles again and whispers, “Your girlfriend is entertaining.”

“I can hear your whispers! Just wait you—"

Tzuyu smiles dejectedly and shakes her head, whispering in return, “She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my roommate and she looks out for me.”

“Damn right, I look out for you!” Momo dramatically opens the door of the stall, crossing her arms. It would’ve been cool if her hair is not all over her face, stuck because of sweat.

Momo washes her eyes, purposely using the one between Tzuyu and Jihyo and grumbles, “It’s like a universal rule, Tzuyu-chan.” And Tzuyu would raise her eyebrow at the honorifics change. She only used it when she’s being extra sweet when she needs something or she really is just being extra affectionate. “You don’t go to the bathroom alone!”

Jihyo giggles on the aside, finding the whole thing amusing. Even though she’s not one for talking to strangers, she peaks onto Momo and says, “Is this the worst time to say she’s going home with me after this?”

Momo shuts the faucet and huffs again. She dries her hand with the towel quickly, probably thinking over what to say. Instead, she ignores Jihyo, huffs again when she passed by her as she drags Tzuyu towards the door. “Stay away from her, you creep!”

On their way out, Tzuyu tries to match Momo’s pace, “That’s very mean.”

Momo glares at her, not slowing down, pushing away everyone who dared brush shoulders with her, locking her aim on their table. “This is a gay bar, Tzuyu. I told you not to be alone!”

“She was actually being nice.”

“What’s nice on picking girls up on bathroom stalls?!”

“She wasn’t. She was helping me. I was trying not to vomit.”

They reach the duo, and Tzuyu sees Sana is already at Dahyun’s lap. She mentally slaps herself thinking she had to drink again when Sana inevitably moves her lips. She concludes Sana and Momo are better not open on the market. They become extra flirty more so than usual.

“What’s wrong with you?” Sana regards Momo.

“Tzuyu was being hit on at the toilet!”

Dahyun looks surprised, Sana is delighted. “Is she pretty?”

“No! She’s small!”

“Hey! What’s wrong with being small?!”

“Everyone is small compared to Tzuyu.”

Momo crosses her arms and empties the cup right in front of her, “We should just stick together from now on.”

The conversation was stopped when the waiter comes and hands Tzuyu a bottle of water. The four of them looks at him curiously. He shrugs and points at a direction which they followed. There Jihyo is, waving at Tzuyu, smiling brightly at her. And then she signals her hand like a telephone. Tzuyu looks at the paper that is with the bottle.

**“Stay hydrated so you don’t vomit. Call me if it helps. -Jihyo”**

Momo peaks into it and frowns. Before she can grab it though, Sana was quicker. She reads the letter out loud, with Dahyun keeping Momo locked in her arms before she can reach the paper from Sana’s hand.

“How is this so wholesome, Tzuyu?” Sana turns to her giggling. “At a bar, no less!”

“Throw it away, Sana! What happens to swearing off on girls we meet at this bar?!”

“Well, she wasn’t grinding her ass to Tzuyu, was she?” Sana turns to her, judging Jihyo from afar before giving her an appreciative nod. “Sana votes yes! Text her tomorrow.”

“Momo votes no!”

Consequently, Momo and Sana turns to Dahyun. Dahyun looks like she doesn’t want any part of it. But then, for the first time that night, she sees Tzuyu smiling and finally doesn’t look like she’d rather be anywhere but there. So she hugs Momo tight and then says, “Dahyun votes yes!”

Just as she predicted, Momo started thrashing in her place. Sana jumps on her spot and hugs Tzuyu, putting the paper on her pocket. She kissed Tzuyu’s cheek… and Tzuyu didn’t hate it.

* * *

The dreaded movie night came. Jeongyeon was there with another recipe. Dahyun brought chips. Heechul brought drinks. Sana brought herself and her wits.

To avoid another collision, Tzuyu made sure to place herself and Sana on the opposite side of the couch against Heechul and Momo, with Jeongyeon and Dahyun as fillers in between to create more gap. The couple is cooped up in the love seat. His arms wrapped around Momo, when Momo would occasionally jump at jump scare scene.

Sana whispers into Tzuyu’s side, getting distracted when the two gets all coupl-y from the other side of the room. “She loves horror movie more than all of us combined. How can she act all girly around him?”

Tzuyu sighs, clearly focused on eating her popcorn. She doesn’t want to focus on the movie as much as she wants to ignore the couple. Seems like hating movie nights is back on Tzuyu’s peeve list.

“How can you stand him?”

“He’s nice.”

“Nayeon was trophy girlfriend and you hated the girl.”

“She’s also too much and Momo-unnie was shoving her down my throat. I didn’t know how to handle it”

Sana grabs a popcorn from Tzuyu’s bucket and snorts at her. “If you didn’t like the ex for the same reasons you tolerate this one, why do you like this one? This guy is clearly wrong for Momo, how can you not hate him?” Sana makes a face. Sana mumbles as she grabs onto Tzuyu’s arm tugging onto it, “Hate him with me!”

At the action some popcorn fell on the floor, and it made Tzuyu glare at Sana. She sighs, conceding, “I do, okay? I do! But, we can’t drive this one away again.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing.”

“Okay you can’t start a smoke and expect me not to look for fire.”

“I don’t think that’s how the saying goes.”

“Do I care?”

Tzuyu whines, looking up as she did so. She counts to three, before looking at everyone. She makes sure everyone is wrapped around the movie before whispering back to Sana, “Momo-unnie said she broke up with Nayeon-unnie partly because we can’t get along.”

Sana’s eyes widen, leaning in closer if that’s even more possible and says, “She told you that?”

“Well, she told Dahyun-unnie and then Dahyun-unnie told me.”

“Ooh, gossip vine. I love it already.”

Tzuyu rolls her eyes and nudges her, “Well, why didn’t you tell me? I feel so bad for hating Nayeon-unnie.”

Sana chuckles playfully, “But do you really?”

Silence.

Another whine.

“No.”

A win for Sana.

Tzuyu adds, “Okay, yes. But only because we saw how sad Momo-unnie got when they broke up, and she probably didn’t tell me because she doesn’t want to blame me.” Tzuyu nods, the movie clearly forgotten, “I should’ve tried harder. So now, I’m trying my best. I’m going an extra mile to tolerate Heechul-oppa.”

Sana makes a face when Tzuyu said her name. “Hon, this would’ve been a landslide win if both of us hate him. I don’t know what you did to reign in that green eyed monster in you, but you better undo it fast and bring out the ugly beast again.”

* * *

Tzuyu wakes up at night, with an urge to pee. Remembering the movie, which she barely even saw, she still tried to hold it in and go back to sleep until she couldn’t. So with sleepy eyes, she started walking towards the bathroom.

Maybe, if she was that conscious, she would’ve seen the warning sign: the light on the bathroom door, slipping through the door, indicating someone is using it. But it’s too late.

When her hands hit the door knob, before she can turn it, she regrets her decision right away.

_“I’m so close… This… this is definitely worth the wait. You are worth wait.”_

Then a moan which is undeniably from Momo.

The sounds of skin slapping against each other.

Tzuyu’s blood run cold. She lets go of the door knob slowly, afraid to make a sound. In absolute silence, she walks back to her room, her exploding bladder adjusting in her state of mind.

They’re doing it…

_In the bathroom._

* * *

Tzuyu couldn’t sleep even though she tried her hardest. Her mind was racing, and she couldn’t calm it down. When the slight sunshine hit her window, she sits up and changes her clothes.

5:43am, it says on her night stand.

She ties her hair and plugs in her airpods on her ear, raising the volume to maximum and starts heading out the door. Without thinking, she starts jogging on her feet onto the streets.

She doesn’t notice she’s been running until she can feel the burning in her thigh, her top drenched in her sweat. For a while, her head is clear. She can feel her heartbeat in sync with the base of her music. She can match her steps on the tempo of the song. She doesn’t even feel tired. But when the transition comes, in a small gap of a window, in a mere second, the _moans_ would come back haunting through her ears.

She didn’t see them.

But she can fully envision them. (or at least Momo)

_Why_

Why were they doing it in the bathroom?

Where Tzuyu had seen Momo naked?

~~Where… _it’s special_ for Tzuyu and Momo?~~

Another song plays, and Tzuyu’s head is clear once again.

_How can she do this to her?_

Now that Tzuyu is _trying._ Now that Tzuyu is _enduring._

**Why?**

Tzuyu catches her breath. When the music stops, she closes her eyes tight.

_“Ahh~ Fill me please… Fill me up so good.”_

Another song plays, and Tzuyu opens her eyes, raising her hand to knock on the door.

It took minutes before she stopped knocking, but she doesn’t notice. The music is loud on her ears, her vision is clear, but her mind is somewhere else.

Sana opens the door with the annoyed look, stopping Tzuyu’s incessant knocking. She glares at her, “You better have a goddamn good reason why you’re knocking at my door at 7am!”

When Sana opens the door, Tzuyu comes in. She can see Sana moving her mouth, but she doesn’t hear her. She’s focusing on the music in her ears.

Tzuyu paces in circles, waits till the music ends.

When it does, she hears them again.

_“I love you, baby. I love you so much. So close…”_

_“Yes, yes! I love—”_

Tzuyu closes her eyes, looks up, and then counts to three. She removed her airpods before the next song starts. With determined look, she stops pacing then stops right in front of Sana.

Sana crosses her arms, tapping her foot impatiently. “So?”

…

“We’re getting rid of him.”

Sana’s face filled with annoyance and displease was quickly taken over with delight and joy. Almost like a kid handed her favorite candy. She uncrosses her arms and clasps her hands together, eyes widening at Tzuyu’s words.

“I knew we’re chaotic together!

**Author's Note:**

> Trying to get over the writer's block! Woo!


End file.
